


Night out

by Beciz



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-11
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:27:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24653836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beciz/pseuds/Beciz
Summary: Belle and Ruby have a girls night out where they run into Leroy
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	Night out

Belle and Ruby tumbled through the door at The Rabbit Hole. Ruby danced her way backwards past the booths as she pointed at Belle: "I'll get the good spot, and you get the first round" she shouted over the music. Belle laughed at Ruby's dorky ass dance moves and made her way to the bar. In retrospect they may have hit the wine a bit harder than Belle had though. But sitting there on the couch in Ruby's childhood bedroom above Granny's had felt like coming home, and the years apart away melted away as they laughed, drank and reminiscent.

Belle ordered two strawberry daiquiris, and when looking around the bar her eye was caught by a familiar face "Grumpy!" she burst out. Leroy looked up from his beer at the sound of his nickname and his frown spread into a wide grin when he saw her. "My God, if it isn't my own personal walking ray of sunshine! I thought you were far too busy conquering the world to be back here in this old town" he said.

"Get your ass over here" she laughed and pulled him into a big hug. "I was out there" she replied when they let go "But now I'm just staying at dad's for a little while until I get a librarian job, and then I am right back on track with the conquering."

"I always knew you were going places, with the smart head on your shoulders." Leroy replied "But until the worlds needs you back, we will just have to enjoy having you here for a little while." Belle smiled and kissed him on the cheek. Just then bartender brought her and Ruby's drinks.

"Ruby went down to get us a good table, will you come join us?" Belle asked.

"If you don't mind partying with an old man like me?" Leroy said jokingly.

Belle laughed "You might be old, but you can drink harder than anyone of us, so I am sure you will do."

At the booth Belle and Leroy found Ruby looking around at the others patrons of the Rabbit Hole, when they were seated, she suddenly exclaimed: "I have come to a conclusion!"

"Oh really?" Belle said doubtfully. She had known Ruby long enough to know that Ruby had a stage of drunkenness Belle liked to call 'philosophical drunk'. It usually entailed a insightful conclusion about her life which sometimes was very shrewd and accurate, and other times was complete bullshit.

"I think" Ruby continued "that I have dated just about every possible man in Storybrooke. I might have to move, if I want to find a good guy to be with."

"Seriously?" Belle asked "I know, that I have been away at college for a few years, but there is no way that you have dated all of them. You dated Billy for a couple of years in High School right?"

Ruby replied: "Yeah, but we just kind of drifted into friends in the end."

"And you dated Keith" Leroy supplied nodding his head at a big guy with slick black hair who was losing at pool.

"Urgh, don't remind me." Ruby made a face "Making out a couple times when I was beyond pissed does not qualify as full on dating, but I it is definitely a pass on him"

"What about that hot doctor that has come to town" Belle asked snickering a little "I heard some students talking about how they were afraid to get tested for STD's because they did not want to ruin their chances with him"

Ruby rolled her eyes "Whale. He is hot - but he really knows it. I caught him checking out several girls while we were on a date together. Very uncool."

"The teenagers might be afraid of getting tested for STD's because they were afraid they got them from him." Leroy joked and the girls equal parts laughed and recoiled at that.

"Okay, definitely not doctor Whale then. What about Sean from school? He still lives in town right?" Belle said.

"Engaged to Ashley" Ruby said

"And they have a kid together" Leroy supplied

"Oh wow, this is actually quite hard" Belle said "You might just have to wait for that hot coma patient to wake up." Belle laughed "Do you remember we saw him when we were visiting Granny after her hip replacement surgery?"

"Oh yeah! David! He actually woke up" Ruby said

"What? Really? Well here is your chance!" Belle said excitedly

"He's married to Kathryn Nolan" Ruby replied

"And having an affair with Mary Margaret" Leroy added

"What!?" The girls said together "How do you know that?" Ruby asked Leroy incredulously

"You are not the only one who keeps up with the gossip around here" Leroy said saucily

The girls giggled

"You are worse than sometimes Granny sometimes Leroy" Ruby replied.

Belle shook her head "What is up with the scarce dating market in this town". She leaned back into her seat and tried to think of potential men to date in Storybrooke, but all that kept showing up in her mind was the image of Mr. Gold. They had talked when he had come to collect the rent at her father's house. And even though he had bent his head when he smiled she had still seen it. She realized that she had enjoyed his company, and she thought he might have enjoyed her company too.

"Have you ever asked out Mr. Gold?" The question had escaped Belles lips before she had the presence of mind to stop it. Leroy stared at Belle dumbfounded while Ruby nearly choked on her drink and her coughing slowly turned into uncontrollable laughter

"Can you even imagine Granny's reaction if I asked him out?" she managed to choke out in between fits of laughter "She would have me committed just for thinking the thought!" Ruby got the laughter a little bit more under control "Besides, all Mr. Gold cares about is his wealth and his power. He has no use for other people and he does not fraternize with us mere mortals." Leroy and Ruby laughed and Belle chuckled along a little half heartedly.

It was true. Mr. Gold had never made a deal where he did not come out with more power or money than he had before and it often took the other party some time to figure out how well they had been played. He was infamous for his deals and Belle felt silly for thinking that there might be more to him than that. She shook it off.

"Well... At this rate it will still be just the three of us living our pathetic single lives in 10 years time" Belle joked.

"I'm hoping to have made a little more progress by then" Leroy said.

Belle looked at him shocked "Do you like someone Leroy? I have never known you to take an interest in anyone."

Leroy had a small smile on his face as he said "She is a very special girl. So we will just have to see what happens, wont we?"

"Hot damn, Ruby. I guess it will just have to be the two of us" Belle said putting her arm around Ruby who leaned into the embrace and put her head on Belle shoulder. Belle gazed around the crowded bar where people where drinking while playing darts and pool or dancing on the poorly improvised dance floor. A few people where sitting at the bar and she recognized the town psychiatrist Archie Hopper having a drink and glancing ever so often in their direction. "That is of course unless you get up and ask out that tall drink of ocher water Archie out on a date."

Ruby looked up at Archie and a little color flushed to her cheeks before she quickly looked down again. "Oh, I don't really think I'm his type" she said quickly. Belle scoffed "That's ludicrous Ruby! You are ridiculously gorgeous - the rest of us can literally not catch a break with the boys as long as you are in the vicinity."

"That is not what I meant" Ruby said "He is just really smart, quiet and sweet and stuff. And I am just very... I don't know... me I guess."

Belle frowned "Hey! You are also very smart and nice! No guy deserves you, and any guy would be lucky to have you. Now get your butt up there and buy that man a drink!" At the last part Belle giggled and practically shoved Ruby out of the booth.

Ruby looked nervously back at Belle. Then she shook her hands a little, squaring her shoulders and swayed up next to Archie. Belle slid across the seat until she was right next to Leroy again "Now, tell me all about this girl you have your eye on."

**Author's Note:**

> Only the second time posting, let me know what you think.


End file.
